Interrobang

[Duchess]

And, I think I'm doing a little redesign of the redesign of the rear fairing (so it will only resemble the drawing in that it will be a fairing behind the saddle). Oi, I am going to spend way more money on this than I originally planned. At least I'm saving on paint by doing it myself with cheapish paint. Wanted to powdercoat, but nobody in this or the surrounding states seems to do low temp PC that could be used on the fiberglass.

 

[SkyknightJohn]

Coming together nicely!

 

[Duchess]

Starting on the leather. As the fairing is designed around the saddle, I was waiting for this to revise my mock up (the B17N is way too narrow). Unfortunately, Brooks discontinued the B68 (this B67 without springs) and I couldn't find one for a reasonable price (plus, I wanted an "Aged" version as it's softer and I figured it would be easier to re-dye and paint). Since the B67 springs force a compromise on aesthetics, I'm going to make my own B68—I ordered a B68 frame, which I'll swap out. The dye is just the base for the paint. The reason for the leather sheet comes later.

The photo looks a lot brighter red than it does in person.

 

[LukeTheJoker]

Looking forward to seeing where the rest of leather is going on the bike!

Luke.

 

[Duchess]

Coming along. I might work on the shift knob/dial today and figuring out the best spot for it between aesthetics and ergonomics, though it will be leaning more heavily towards the former. Form-over-function, what?! (<—there's where an actual interrobang would be helpful, were it a more often recognized punctuation)

 

[kingfish254]

I like the cross bars mounted that way.

 

[oddrodal]

Got to Keep watching this it is going to be slick!

 

[Duchess]

Got the Coke Bottle grips (these things are really nice!) and the shifter/dial mounted. I need to set up the lathe to turn the knob. Also, you can kind of see a switch for the lights sitting inside the shifter (it's actually one of the switches for the Retro Rocket, but Interrobang's is still en route from China and will be stainless). I don't think I'll have the time, but I am thinking of mounting some oversized round yellow fog lights to the front part of the bar and make a PET fairing that conforms to the shape of the lights something like a rally car light pod, but running back to a low windshield.

 

[Duchess]

So, Big Ape's quest for smaller 1959 Cadillac tail lights for his P-40 build and the way this build off has me feeling like I'm in design school again (but with less ramen!) triggered the memory of a show car that has provided me with a new bit of inspiration.

 

[Duchess]

The live center of the cheesy lathe I was going to use to make the shift dial for this and the shift knobs for Retro Rocket broke and it looks like there's no replacement available. I can work around that, but I really wanted to try metal spinning with it to make the bullet nose for the Rocket. I tried a couple of different hand forming ideas and those did not work. Yesterday was full of failure. I'm still waiting for a few key parts, but I'll see if there's something else I can do. Anyone know how to hand form a metal bullet nose cone? I guess I could do a lame straight-sided cone as it's only reducing down from 107mm to 70, but I'd rather not.

 

[gowjobs]

Every time I read the title of this build, it makes me think of psychedelic '60s-'70s spy movies.
"We have ways of making you talk, Mr. Bond. Honey Ryder, begin the Interrobang!"

Another similar (but more radical) GM concept drawing:
http://cypulchre.tumblr.com/post/144216919853/the-firebird-iii-a-gm-concept-car-from-1958

 

[Duchess]

Well, the interrobang was developed in the 60s, so the time is right on. I also like the word (as well as the punctuation) as it sounds both aggressive and ridiculous. interestingly, just like James Bond (of which, I am also a fan—books and probably most of the movies).

Interesting how "ordinary" the resulting Firebird III was compared to the concept drawing. I've never seen the drawing before.

 

[G-Matt]

Looking good man like the modern up. Grades . Cool placement on the way you connected the Handel bar .


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Duchess]

Here's how the shifter is set up in the tank. The Sturmey Archer 3-speed grip shifter is mounted to a piece of handlebar with a rubber stopper at the bottom cut to sit between the twin tubes of the frame. There are two holes you can't see well from this angle that the switch wires will go through. The shift cable and housing will be enclosed within a length of brass tubing so that I can form the cable to go with the lines of the frame and stay like that. I still need to run a torque arm to the forward tank screw to prevent the shifter spinning inside the tank.

 

[The Renaissance Man]

I get it now, rotary shift knob! Very '50's futuristic' like the concept car. That's out of the box thinking!

 

[OddJob]

...or ....'out of the tank thinking' as the case may be....

 

[Duchess]

Thanks! I was going to do a suicide shifter because they're cool, but thought of this and couldn't find it having been done before (I am using two suicide shifters on the Retro Rocket, so I'm getting my fix, anyway). Made me think of the new Jags and such with dials instead of shifters (which are a waste of space with an auto, IMO, anyway) and thought it would be interesting and modern (even though I'm a manual guy—even waited ten weeks for them to build the current car with a manual). I'm on about my 8th dial design, but I think it's final (most were way too complicated with fiber optic-style gear indicator lighting). Now, if I can just hack together an acceptable lathe....

The bike will have a handlebar motorcycle light control switch set—headlights, taillights, & indicators (might be rear only) and the battery on/off switch will go through the illuminated switch that will fit neatly into the top of the shift dial. I may use the high beam selector to power some big fogs off the front piece of the handlebar, but that will probably have to be a post-build-off upgrade. Can't think of a use for the momentary switch (horn button) yet, but I might. I think I have enough to deal with at the moment.

All this is just to try to keep up with the awesome stuff everyone else is doing here. This is more fun than I thought it would be and definitely more fun than building on my own. Kind of makes me feel like I'm in design school again.

 

[LukeTheJoker]

All this is just to try to keep up with the awesome stuff everyone else is doing here. This is more fun than I thought it would be and definitely more fun than building on my own.

Love the build-offs!

Luke.

 

[Chad T]

Wow killer build! Didn't see this one until now. So many unique and innovative ideas and a TRM tank!

I like to drive a car with a manual trans too..(never owned an auto-tragic).

 

[Duchess]

I finally got my Brooks B68 frame. This was the keystone for the rear fairing as the saddle will be integrated into it.

So, I wanted a B68 saddle, but Brooks discontinued them (I think I mentioned this before). But, they make the B67, which is the same thing, except with springs (I have a Flyer, which is a B17 with springs on my USAAF bike and I like it, but the springs won't work here). So, I ordered an Aged B67 because it's pre-broken in and is not pre-colored in the few non-red colors they offer this model in. First thing, I dyed it red and then painted it red. There is still a final protective coat to put over the paint, but this is basically it. To convert to the new frame, I drilled out the rear frame rivets and removed the chassis. The nose pieces are the same, but the clamp piece that holds the frame to the nose via the adjustment screw is a little wider of an angle than my other unsprung saddles seem to have (outside of the piece spreads the jaws on a caliper 20mm while the unsprung saddles are about 18mm). A quick trip to the vice and the angle was adjusted. I'm going to use some allen bolts instead of rivets for the new frame and I still have to get those, but here are some pics:

This is the piece that needs to be adjusted. Outside to outside had to go from 20 to 18mm (and 18 is the limit as 17 is too tight for the frame to fit properly).

It'll be a little stretch to get it on, but not too bad.